Editorial

The Global Thymus Network: past, present and future
Yousuke Takahama1, Takashi Saito1, Hiroshi Kawamoto1, Manami Itoi1,Richard L. Boyd2, Ann Chidgey2, Rose Zamoyska3, Georg A. Holländer3,Graham Anderson3, Naomi Taylor3, Howard T. Petrie4 and Janko Nikolich-Žugich4
1

KTCC
ThymOz3
Rolduc4
ThymUS
2The Global Thymus Network (GTN) is a series of linked
international meetings dedicated to the study of thethymus and T-cell biology (Table 1). The four meetingsand organizing regions that compose the GTN are: theRolduc Workshop (Europe), KTCC (Japan), ThymOz(Australia) and ThymUS (USA). Over time, the participants and organizers of the individual meetings realizedthat their coordination was both logical and mutually
beneficial to all. Therefore, it was agreed that from 2005,
each of these meetings should be held every four years,
and from this year, the meetings are coordinated by theunified governing board, composed of representative
organizers of each of the conferences (see list of authorsof this article). Here, we would like to introduce the GTN
and highlight the common and specific flavors of the fourconferences.
Individual meetings and their histories
The first thymus-centered meeting was the Rolduc Workshop on T-cell biology, originally held in 1989 at the 12thcentury Rolduc Abbey. Over the years, Hergen Spits andhis core Dutch group played a key part in facilitating theorganization of Rolduc with researchers from other European countries rotated as the academic organizers.
Although T-cell and thymus-centric, Rolduc is known asa ‘workshop’ for the phenotypic classification of thymus
stromal cells and their structural and functional contribution to the microenvironment controlling T-cell development.
The KTCC (Kyoto T-cell conference) was founded byYoshimoto Katsura in 1991, and is held in the historiccity of Kyoto. It has provided an opportunity for
researchers in Japan and Asia working on T cells andrelated fields to exchange scientific ideas through intensive discussions with, and between, internationallyacclaimed research groups. KTCC hosts annual domestic
meetings and an international workshop once every fouryears.
The ThymOz (Thymus Australia) series of international
conferences was founded by Richard Boyd and Ann Chidgey in 1995, with the aim of creating a stimulating andconducive environment ‘down under’ that would catalyze avigorous exchange of recent data, based around the thymus. The first conference was aptly opened by, and inhonor of, Jacques Miller. ThymOz is held on Heron Island,a unique national marine park on the Great Barrier Reef,
with attendees ranging from international experts to newstudents. The sixth ThymOz (March, 2010) will incorporate stem cell biology into the understanding and function of
the thymus and the clinical translation of fundamentalresearch.
The ThymUS conference, co-founded by Janko NikolichZugich and Howard Petrie, was first held in 2001, and is
focused on countries of the Caribbean region. It wasfounded as a sister conference to ThymOz, with which it
has been coordinated since its inception. Like ThymOz,ThymUS does not sponsor its speakers, but rather subsidizes all attendees, with a special focus on trainees. A
characteristic feature of the ThymUS conference is a focus
on events that occur within the thymus, and how theyaffect peripheral T-cell homeostasis and immunity, inaddition to disease states such as immunosenescence,autoimmunity and cancer.
Common essential features of the GTN conferences
In addition to the common focus on the formation andfunction of the thymus, T-cell development and T-cellbiology, the four meetings share other important components, which the organizers believe to be vital forsuccessful conferences of this type. First, they each haveshorter (20 min) presentations, eliminating the needfor speakers to expend precious time introducing thebasic terms and background literature. Second, they
all host 100 to 175 attendees in a single scientificactivity, and promote interactions in an informal andcomfortable atmosphere, including highly interactive
poster sessions. Third, deliberate steps are taken toretain speakers on site throughout the duration of theconference, providing further cohesion and interaction.
Fourthly, all four meetings are solely and exclusively runby the scientists and for the scientists in the field and do
not involve large conference organizations. In summary,
the GTN meetings offer a detailed and personalized
experience for those specifically interested in the T-celldevelopment field. Finally, strong efforts are made toensure diversity of the meetings and to support
participation of post-docs and students by providing
various subsidies. We feel that mentoring young scientists ensures critical rejuvenation of the field. Consistent
with this, the KTCC 2009 held 1–4 June this year,

EditorialTrends in Immunology Vol.30 No.5

Table 1. The four meetings of the Global Thymus Network.
Meeting
KTCC
ThymOzRolducThymUS

RegionJapan
Australia
EuropeCaribbean/USFounded
1991
1995
1989
2001

Most recent
2005
2006
2007
2008

Upcoming
2009
2010
2011
2012

Websitehttp://ktcc.umin.jp
http://www.thymoz.com
http://www.rolduc-thymus.org
http://www.thymus-conference.org

Note: authors of this article are listed in the order in which the respective conferences are being held from now on. Please address correspondence to any one of them (via theaddresses on the above websites) regarding individual conferences or this article.

marks the fifth anniversary of the GTN and has a travelbursary to encourage post-doc and student attendance.
The conference promises exciting science and lively
discussion with topics including: thymus microenvironments, lymphoid progenitors and lineage commitment,

selection and differentiation, recognition and activation,
immune response and memory, immune regulation anddiseases.
1471-4906/$ – see front matter ß 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.it.2009.03.005 Available online 8 April 2009

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